Gate closer and tightener



June 30, 1970 E. w JONES GATE CLOSER AND TIGHTENER Filed July 23, 1968 Fig.3

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E rnesf W. Jones INVENTOK.

United tates Patent 3,517,724 GATE CLOSER AND TIGHTENER Ernest W. Jones, 3208 4th Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 Filed July 23, 1968, Ser. No. 746,979 Int. Cl. Ec 5/00 U.S. Cl. 160328 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ward end of the link has an integral keeper ring releasably hitched over the upper end of the openable and closable gate post. When the crank of the shaft is seated atop the inward limit stop lug the wires of the closed gate are tightened.

This invention relates to a gate which spans and closes a fence opening and, more particularly, to a wire-type gate having a bodily movable gate post and [fastening and retaining means which lends itself to ready attachment to an upper end portion of a stationary fence post and wherein the wire tightening and gate post fastening means is structurally and functionally unique and ensures convenient and reliable operation from a point either inside or outside the fense enclosed area.

The over-all invention is characterized by a self-contained adaptation which needs only to be bracketed in place on the selected fence post. A sliding and swinging fastener has a loop which can be detachably latched over the end of the gate post. The gate can be easily opened or closed from either side of the fence without having to reach over the gate or the fence. By centralizing the pushpull action of the post linking and fastening means a pulling and tightening force is imposed on the stationary fence post in a manner to line up both posts.

Briefly the inventive concept has to do with a stationary fence post, a fixture securely mounted on a prescribed part of said fence post, a rocker shaft cooperable with said fixture and having end portions mounted for angular rotation in aligned bearings provided in portions of said fixture, and a projectable and retractable sliding and swinging fastener capable of bodily moving and drawing an openable and closable post of flexible wire-type gate toward and in opposed coplanar alignment with said fence post in a manner to strain and tighten the gate wires and to releasably but securely fasten the gate post to said fence post, said fastener having a proximal end hingedly operatively connected with a median crank portion of said rocker shaft and a free distal end provided with a loop removably and retentively encircling an upper end portion of said gate post.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a gate closer and tightener showing the self-contained features and with the box-like bracket or fixture removed from the fence post.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view with the fixture mounted on a stationary fence post at the right and with the ring-like latching loop connected to the upper end of the openable and closable gate post.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view which ties in with FIG. 3 with the gate post omitted and showing how the latching fastener is capable of being swung up and down when the crank is in the forward or gate fastening positon.

Referring now to the views of the drawing and particu larly to FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the relatively stationary fence post is denoted by the numeral 6 and the connected fence wire at 8. The bodily movable and openable and closable gate post is denoted by the numeral 10 and the flexible gate wire (one shown) is denoted at 12. The aforementioned upper latchable end portion of the relatively movable gate post is denoted at 14. Inasmuch as wire gates of the type shown are common in the art as shown for example in the patent to Woods, 1,584,585, only the gate closer and tightener attachment (FIG. 1) will be set forth in detail. The readily attachable and detachable bracket or fixture is denoted by the numeral 16 and comprises a substantially rectangular box-like frame embodying spaced parallel sidewalls 18 joined by transverse inward and outward end walls 20 and 22. The attachable end wall 20 is provided with holes 24 to accommodate screw-threaded headed fasteners 26 such as are used in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 when securing said wall to a wooden or an equivalent fence post 6. Manifestly, if the post -6 is to be made of metal the wall 20 will be bolted or otherwise mounted in place in the manner herein illustrated. The sidewalls 18 are provided with opposed bearing holes 28. A first tongue is struck out from the attached wall 20 and provides an inwardly projecting limit stop 30. This limit stop is in a common plane with a second inwardly bent tongue 32 which provides a companion limit stop. The opening left by the tongue 32 and designated at 34 is in the outward end wall 22 and serves as a clearance opening in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The upper corner holes 36 can be used to permit an insertable and removable locking pin or shackle of a padlock (not shown) to be passed therethrou'gh when the fastening means is in the gate closing and retaining posi tion shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The aforementioned rocker shaft is made of rod stock and is of one-piece construction and is denoted generally by the numeral 38. The shaft proper spans the enclosed space of the aforementioned frame 16 The respective end portions 40 provide journals and are accordingly journaled for angular rotation in their respective bearing holes 28. The free terminal end portions of this shaft are laterally bent in coplanar relationship and provide inner and outer handles 42 and 44 respectively. With this construction and arrangement and with the handles located on the exterior of the walls of the box-like fixture it will be evident that the gate can be easily opened or closed from either side without having to reach over the gate or the fence. The median portion of the rocker shaft is U-shaped in form and this U-bend provides a centralized and equalizing crank 46.

With respect now to the one-piece fastening means or unit this is denoted, generally speaking, by the numeral 48 and it comprises an elongate rigid link or arm 50 which is slidable and swingable in operation and is normally in the horizontal locking plane shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 but is capable of being lifted and lowered to achieve the gate post latching and retaining position. One end portion 52 extends through and beyond the clearance opening 34 where it is joined integrally with a latching loop, more particularly a ring-type loop 54. The right hand end portion of the link or arm is provided with a hinging knuckle 56 which is pivotally connected with the bight portion of the crank in the manner shown.

It follows that by fixing the box-type bracket or fixture 16 on the fence post 6 at the proper place as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the over-all self-contained device is readied for use. Assuming that the gate is closed with the post opposed and parallel to the fence post 6 it will be evident that the gate wires are tightened in so doing. It can be assumed that the rocker shaft and crank turning handle 42 in FIG. 2 for example is on the inside of the enclosed space and that the selectively usable handle 44 is on the outside making it easy, if the gate is fastened, to lift either handle and to swing the crank 46 from its at rest position (FIGS. 2 and 3) to the forward fastener loosening and gate-unlatching position shown in FIG. 4. This is to say with the crank and hinged connection now resting atop the limit stop lug 32 the fastener unit or means 48 can be lifted and lowered to either apply or release the post embracing loop or ring 54.

The self-contained ready-to-use device or attachment is shown in FIG. 1 and is shown in its ready-to-use position in FIGS. 2 and 3. The fastening means is shown closed in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the gate post 10 opposed to the fence post 6 with the gate wires 12 tightened. The manner of lifting and lowering the projectable and retractable fastener means 48 is evident, it is submitted, in FIG. 4. Accordingly, a more extended description of the invention is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a stationary fence post, a fixture comprising a rigid box-like frame open at its top and bottom and embodying opposed side walls and end walls connecting said side walls, said side walls having aligned holes providing shaft bearings, a rocker shaft bridging the space between said side walls and having end portions extending outwardly through and beyond said bearings and side walls and having corresponding laterally directed terminal end portions defining selectively usable inward and outward shaft rotating handles, the median portion of said shaft between said side walls having a U-shaped bent portion providing a crank which is swingable in an arcuate path toward and from the fence post, and a projectable and retractable fastener capable of bodily moving and drawing an openable and closable post of a flexible wire-type gate toward and in opposed coplanar alignment with said fence post in a manner to strain and tighten the gate wires and to releasably but securely fasten the gate post to said fence post, that portion of the fastener adjacent said crank constituting a push-pull link having a median portion slidingly operable through a clearance opening provided therefor in an end wall of the frame remote from said fence post, a terminal end of said link adjacent said crank having a knuckle hingedly joined to a coacting bight portion of said crank, the other terminal end of said link being provided exteriorly of said frame with a loop removably and retentively encircling an upper end portion of said gate post.

2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said loopcomprises an annular ring of a predetermined diameter, said ring being rigid and an in.- tegral part of said push-pull link.

3. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the respective end walls are provided with tongues which are directed inwardly toward each other, said tongues providing limit stops within the encompassing limits of said frame and atop which said crank and hinging knuckle come to rest when the crank assumes a position which is (1) proximal to or (2) remote from the locale of said fence post.

4. A flexible wire gate closer and tightener comprising a rigid box-like frame open at its top and bottom 7 and embodying opposed longitudinal sidewalls joined by transverse inward and outward end walls, said inward end wall having means which is adapted to be fixedly mounted on a surface of a fence post, said end walls hav: ing inwardly struck tongues providing frame-enclosed coplanar limit stop lugs, median portions of said side walls having opposed and aligned holes providing companion bearings, a rocker shaft spanning the space between said side walls and having a median portion provided with a U-shaped end defining a crank, the respective end portions of said rocker shaft being journaled for angular rotation in their respective bearings and terminating in shaft rotating handles which are exterior of said frame and are accessible for selective use, and a projectable and retractable slidable and swingable gate post fastener capable of bodily moving and drawing an end post of said gate toward said fence post in a manner to close and fasten said gate, said fastener comprising a rigid push-pull link having an inward end within said frame provided with a hinging knuckle pivotally joined to the bight portion of said crank and an outward projectable and retractable end portion passing slidingly through a clearance opening provided therefor in said outward end wall, said outward end portion terminating in a ring-like keeper loop which is releasably connectible with an upper end portion of said gate post, said link and said hinging knuckle being adapted to simultaneously rest atop said limit stop lugs.

5. The gate closer and tightener defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein upper corner portions of said side walls are provided with a pair of aligned complemental locking pin holes, said holes being disposed in a plane above the plane of said limit stop lugs and also above the normal horizontal plane of said crank in a manner to accommodate an insertable and removable locking pin or, alternatively, the shackle of a padlock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 753,175 2/1904 Stange 328 762,481 6/1904 Klipping 160-428 919,705 4/1909 Edwards 160 32s 2,747,910 5/1956 Salmon 160328 X 2,823,942 2/1958 BlChel 292-247 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner US. or. X.R. 

